The African Vice-Province with some 60 priests are also working in Europe and North America

Father Severin Lath, vice-provincial of the African Eudists. (Photo by Guy Aimé Eblotié)

Better known as the Eudist Fathers, priests of the Congregation of Jesus and Mary, are this year celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Vice-Province of Africa.

The congregation has just hosted an international colloquy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Nov. 8-11 addressing the history, spirituality and the challenges facing their work.

French Eudist Father Claude Frikart was the first of his congregation to arrive in Ivory Coast in 1958 to assist in the construction of a major seminary at Saint Coeur de Marie.

The congregation, which was founded in France during the 17th century, subsequently took on the task of forming priests at the new seminary as it has since also done elsewhere in Africa.

Sixty years later, the members of what has now become known as “the Vice-Province of Eudists in Africa” met at the Saint Jean Eudes d’Abatta Center in Abidjan to review their history and discuss the challenges facing the congregation on the African continent.

“The first challenge is to ensure our financial and material autonomy and we are working towards that,” said Eudist vice-principal, Father Severin Lath.

“We are now reflecting on what each of us can do for our communities and for the congregation,” he said.

Financial autonomy

The congregation also plans to invest further in the area of formation.

Thus, in 2017, the congregation opened both the Eudist Technological University Institute (IUTEA) and the St. John Eudes University Institute for Professional Agro-Ecological Education (IUEP) for the development of agriculture.

The projects are the outcome of a South-South cooperation project between the provinces of Africa and North Africa.

In addition to their training programs, the congregation is also working on a project to build the St. John Eudes Hospital in Pahou, Benin, with the first stone laid on Nov. 14, 2016.

The Eudists in Africa

The Vice-Province of Africa was erected in 2005 to give permanence to the Eudist presence in Africa and to recognize the congregation’s efforts in service of the Gospel since their arrival in 1958.

Following the launch in Ivory Coast 60 years ago, the Eudist mission in Africa has progressively extended to four more African countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo and Kenya.

The African Vice-Province now numbers around 60 priests working on the formation of priests and in pastoral service in various African countries as well as Europe and North America.

In Ivory Coast, Eudist fathers have taken on the responsibility for seminaries including St. John Paul II at M’pouto in Abidjan and Notre Dame de la Présentation in Katiola in the nation’s north.

They have also founded many parishes in the Diocese of Yopougon, notably St. Andrew’s Cathedral in 1974.

Newsletter

Get the latest from La Croix International. Sign up to receive our daily newsletter.

Solidarity Fund

"La Croix International relies almost entirely on subscriptions and donations from readers. We hope that you will consider supporting our efforts to deliver quality journalism worldwide." Arnaud Broustet, Publisher